Column clamp



March 10, 1931.

J. M. WILLARD COLUMN CLAMP Filed June 12, 1929 Patented Mar. io, 1931 y 1,795,586

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE` JOHN M. WILLARD, or Los ANGELEs,cALIronNiA COLUMN CLAMP Application filed June 12', 1929. Serial No. 370,376.

This invention relates to a new and novel and numerous changes and modifications may column clamp particularly adapted for rebe made without departing from the spirit of taining forms used in pouring monolithic the invention. columns, piers and the like. The invention In describing the illustrated form of the L' particularly relates to a column clamp which device, reference will be had to the appended 55 is of simple construction and is substantially drawings, in which: unitary in character, so that the clamp may be Fig. l is aperspective view of a portion of carried, shipped and used as a complete unit a column clamp embraced by this invention. without the'necessity of employing separate Fig. 2 is a plan View showing the column 1G devices or elements therewith. clamp applied around the forms of a column. C@

Clamps of the prior art adapted to be used In construction work, and particularly in in retaining forms in position have, as a rule, constructing concrete structures, it is custombeen very heavy and of rather complicated ary to erect forms generally made of wood, structure. Such clamps necessitated the use thin metal or other similar substances, the

'i5 of four or more individual parts or units, and concrete or other cementitious material being a result, there h as beena great tendency to poured within the forms and retained therein lose some of the parts during shipping, movuntil the cementitious material sets the forms, ing, and during actual construction work. and then removed. During the setting, ce- Furthermore, the clamps of the prior art are mentitious materials eXert a considerable 26 incapable of forcing the forms around which pressure on the forms, due to the expansion of 7U the clamps are placed into rectangular the materials caused by hydration-` Furthershape, so that if the forms are slightly trapemore, when concrete is the ceinentitious matezoidal instead of rectangular, the common rial employed and when wood is used for the clamps would not force the forms to assume forms, the woodV absorbs a great deal of 25 a rectangular position, but instead generally moisture, thereby swelling and increasing the 75 increase the trapezoidal effect. Y disrupted force, which tends to cause a disf One of the objects of this invention is to tortion ofthe columns. The forms as erected, disclose and provide a column clamp comand before they are filled with concrete, are posed of a minimum numb-er of units. Anrarely of the precisely desired shape. For

:te nther Object is to disclose and provide a example, where a rectangular column is de- 5U column clamp which positively forces forms Sl'cd, the Walls of the forms may not be at to which said clamp is applied, into rectanright angles to each other.

pilar Shape, The column clamp embraced by this inven- Y Another object is to disclose and provide L tion is particularly adapted to be used with 35 column clamp, the working parts of said rectangular column forms, the clamp auto- S5 Clamps being 'l1-removably made a part 0f inatically squaring the forms and insuring such clamps. Another object is t0 disclose that the walls of the forms are at right angles and provide a clamp which operates t0 to each other. Itis to be understood that the strengthen or square the forms, by anew mode Cllmp Ot this invention may also be employed fie of Operation. with'octagonal columns, filler blocks being A still further object of this invention is to PllCd at the COTDQIS 0f a Square form so as disclose and provide a column clamp which t0 Produce an OCmgOnal @lished COIUIDIL is of light weight. A column clamp made in accordance with Other Objects, uses and advantages of the this invention consists essentially of two pairs invention disclosed, described and embodied Ofcohmm Clamps 1 aDdQ' EaCh 0f Said Q5 herein will become apparent from the follow- @f )lllmnlamps l and 2 1S Preferably Pro.- i

ing detailed description of one preferred vided with a slotted head 3 and 4, such slotted form of the invention. Itis to be understood heLClS being in engagement With each other. that the description given hereinafter is Preferably, the clamping bars 1 and 2 are merely illustrative of oneform of the device, made of relatively heavy steel bars, adapted ma lll to rest with their edges against the sides of the forms. The column clamps 1 and 2 may be rectangular or they may be provided With a tlrfmge so as to increase the bearing surface ot the column bars against the forms.

The slotted heads El and l provided in the form clampingbars l and 2 may be made in any desired manner. As shoWn in the drawings, the slotted heads may be formed from straps and 6, each of said straps 5 and 6 forming or including a liller block 7 and 8 having an internal face, such as is indicated at 9, inclined to the longitudinal axis of the form clamping bar oi which the iller block is a part.

The slotted heads 3 and l are in engagement with each other, clamping bar 1 passing through the slotted head 4l and under strap 6, whereas the form clamping` bar 2 is slidably received in the slotted head 3 and between the form clamping bar 1 and the strap In this manner it is impossible to separate the clamping bars 1 and 2 from each other, although they may be moved relatively to each other within the limits of the slots or apertures formed in the slotted heads Il and et, as by the straps 5 and 6.

llfledge members and 11 provided with ji'aces 12 and 13 at an angle substantially identical to the inclination of the tace 9 n'iade by the blocks 7 and 8, are preferably employed in locking the clamping bars into position around a form such as, tor example, a form made of sheathing 14 in which cementitious material is to be poured so as te to m a rectangular column.

rlie wedge members 1() and 11 are also provided with iaces 15 and 16 which assume a position substantially at right angles with the clamping bars 1 and 2, respectively, when .said n'edge members 10 and 11 have their opposed faces 12 and 13 in contact with the inclined iaces of the slotted heads.

ln order to prevent the wedges 10 and 11 vfrom being misplaced, pr u1uln ,rauees, lugs or pins 17 and 1S are provided in the narrow terminals of the Wedge members 19 and 1l, said pins, lugs or proturbcraiu'es 1T and 1S being` ot' such size as to prevent the vvithdrawal ot the Wedges 10 and 11 through the slotted heads. Preferably, the length of the slots provided in the heads 3 and 4 is insulticient to allow the Wedges 10 and 11 to pass through when moved in the direction ot the arrow indicated in Fig. 2. That is, the length of the slot in the head 3 is slightly less than the Width ot the clamping bar 2 plus the maximum Width of the Wedge 10.

rlhe clan'iping bars are preferably provided with means for selectively connecting the clamping bars of one pair With the clamping bars of another pair. Such means may comprise a multiplicity of apertures 19 formed in each of said clamping bars 1 and 2, the apertures 19 being preferably in staggered relation so as to permit a closer adjustment. Instead ot using the apertures 1f), other means tor connecting the clamping` bars to each other may be employed, although preferably, such means are adapted to .selectively and pivotally connect the bars.

ln employing the device embraced by this invention nails or other means ot support may be provided exteriorly ot the torni, such as the sheathing 14, and one o't the pairsI ot clamping bars laid on such support with the, iaces of the clamping bars 1 and 2 in contact with the sheathing. The Wedges are preterably placed in such position as to be alniost completely with dra Wn from the slotted heads, that isl the narrow portions and protnberances 1'( and 18 thereon are preferably closely adjacent to the slotted hads il and Ll. n. similar clan'iping bar then placed around the opposed corner of the sheathing with its Wedges in Withdrawn position, and the form clamping bars 2 ot each pair then pivotally ci nnected to each other by means et a pin, bolt or other suitable device 20, inserted through that aperture 19 closest to the heads l and Ll. A similar pin 21 is then used in pivotally connectingl the clamping bars 1 together. he Wedges 10 and 11 are then driven in on each slotted head, the contact ot the Wedge members 10 and 11 with the inclined faces of the slotted heads causing` the clan'iping bars 1 and 2 ot each pair to assume a position at right angles to each other. 'llhe Wedges are maintained in the desired position by trictional contact. and any swell i ng or outwardv torce exerted by the sheathing 14- or by the cementitious material placed therein, merely causes the wedges to more i'irmly set themselves in position.

1t will be thus seen that a simple device has been provided, the elements ot which are irremovably retained in a coherent unit. The clamping bar firmly strengthens the forms or sheathing and causes the same to assume a positive rectangular position.

It is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made in the device described hereinabove without departing trom the spirit of the invention, and all such changes and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A column clamp, comprising two clamping bars provided with slotted heads in adjustable but irremovable engagement with each other, and Wedge means carried by said slotted heads adapted to cooperate with a head of one bar and a loneitudinal edge o1? another bar to position said clamping bars substantially at right angles to each other.

2. In a column clamp, two clamping bars, each provided With a slotted head, the tuo bars being inseparably but adjustably connected with each other by interengagemcnt of said slotted heads, each of said slotted heads includin a face inclined to the longitudinal aXis of its respective clamping bar7 and wedge means adapted to cooperate with the inclined faces of said slotted heads and position said clamping bars substantially at right angles to each other.

3. In a column clamp, two clamping bars, each provided with a slotted head, the two bars being adjustably but inseparably connected with each other by interengagement of said slotted heads, each of said slotted heads including a face inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of its respective clamping bar, and wedge means movably retained by said slotted heads and adapted to cooperate with said inclined faces of said heads, and position said clamping bars substantially at right angles to each other.

Ll. A column clamp, comprising two pairs of clamping bars, the clamping bars of each pair being provided with slotted heads in engagement with each other, each of said heads including a face inclined to the longitudinal axis of its respective clamping bar, means carried by each bar of one pair adapted to (fo-operate with means carried bv each bar of the other pair, to selectively and pivotally connect bars of one pair with the bars of another pair, and wedge means adapted to cooperate with said inclined faces of said heads and position clamping bars of each pair substantially at right angles to each other.

5. A column clamp comprising two clamping bars, each of said bars being provided with a slotted head, the two bars being adjustably but inseparably connected with each other by interengagement of said slotted heads, and wedge means adapted to cooperate with the head of one bar and the longitudinal edge of another bar to position said clamping bars substantially at right angles to each other.

(l. In a column clamp, two clamping bars, each provided with a slotted head, the two bars being adjustably but inseparably connected to each other by interengagement of said slotted heads, and wedge means adapted to cooperate with the head of one bar and the longitudinal edge of another bar to position said clamping bars substantially at right angles to each other, each of said wedge means being provided with a transverse eX- tension adapted to movably retain said wedges in said heads'.

7. In a column clamp, two clamping bars, each provided with a slotted head, the two bars being adjustably but inseparably connected with each other by interengagement of said slotted heads, each of said slotted heads including a fixed face inclined to the longitudinal axis of its respective clamping bar, and wedge means adapted to cooperate with the head of one bar and the longitudinal edge of another bar to position said clamping bars substantially at right angles to each other, each of said wedge means being provided with a transverse extension adapted to movably retain said wedges in said heads.

8. A column clamp comprising two pairs of clamping bars, each bar being provided with a slotted head, said bars being adjustably but inseparably connected to each other by interengagement of said slotted heads to form pairs of bars, wedge means adapted to cooperate with the head of one bar of a pair and the longitudinal edge of the other bar of the same pair to position said clamping bars of each pair substantially at right angles to each other, and means for selectively connectino' the clamping bars of one pair with the bars of another pair.

9. A column clamp vcomprising two pairs of clamping bars, each bar being provided with a slotted head, said bars being adjustably but inseparably connected to each other by interengagement of said slotted heads to form pairs of bars, wedge means adapted to cooperate with the head of one bar of a pair and the longitudinal edge of the other bar of the same pair to position the clamping bars of cach pair substantially at right angles to each other, said wedge means being provided with a transverse extension at the small end thereof to movably retain said wedge in said head, and means for selectively connecting the clamping bars of one pair with the bars of another pair.

Signed atLos Angeles, Calif., this 28 day of May, 1929.

JOHN M. VILLARD. 

